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Download everything while the store can still authenticate your account, then keep two tested copies on separate devices. Capture the game files, DLC, patches, saves, installers, licenses and account-recovery details. A backup preserves data, not guaranteed future access: DRM, account checks, launchers, online services and multiplayer servers may still be required after a storefront closes.
What to do before a digital game store closes
- Inventory purchases. List every storefront account, console, region, edition, language pack, DLC item and bonus file. Export purchase histories or retain receipts, and record the email address, username, recovery codes and two-factor-authentication method for each account.
- Download while authentication works. Install every owned base game, expansion, DLC item, patch, update, language pack, manual and bonus file that the service offers. Do not assume a later redownload window will remain open.
- Capture saves separately. Copy local save folders and configuration files. Cloud saves synchronize devices; they are not an independent archival copy unless you also download and preserve the local data.
- Make two copies on separate media. An external USB hard drive or SSD is the most broadly useful choice. Use a compatible SD or microSD card for systems that require it, such as supported Nintendo hardware. Keep the second copy disconnected except during updates or tests.
- Verify and restore-test. Compare copied files with hashes or a file-comparison tool, then install or restore at least one title from the backup. Record the result, tested version, operating system and any authentication prompt.
- Refresh the archive. Replace aging drives and migrate the collection before a device fails. Recheck a sample installation after major operating-system or launcher changes.
Work from a checklist rather than the storefront’s visible front page. Libraries can hide alternate editions, delisted DLC, language files, demos that became unavailable, soundtrack downloads and manuals. Open the purchase history for each account and mark an item complete only after its files are present on the archive drive.
Keep the account itself usable. Confirm the email address, recovery phone or codes, two-factor device and password manager entry before a closure makes support harder to reach. A copied installer cannot prove ownership if the platform later asks for an account entitlement.
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What a backup can—and cannot—preserve
Digital storefront terms commonly grant a revocable license to access and play a game rather than permanent ownership of an unrestricted copy. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s 2025 report says standard-form contracts for Steam, Epic Games Store and PlayStation Network generally use this licensing model. Your archive can preserve installers and data while still failing to recreate an account entitlement, DRM server, launcher authentication, cloud service or online multiplayer network.
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- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
- Files: game binaries, installers, patches, DLC, manuals and local configuration can usually be copied.
- Entitlement: an account may still need to prove that you bought the title.
- DRM: a license check can block launch even when every file is present.
- Services: matchmaking, leaderboards, seasonal content and other server features can disappear independently of the store.
- Hardware: a console may require its original account link, storage format or system software.
Evaluate each method by DRM and account dependence, availability of a genuine offline installer, separate capture of saves and DLC, storage requirements, restoration testability and online-service dependence.
Think of preservation as several layers. The first layer is the content itself: installers, patches, DLC and manuals. The second is the save and configuration data that makes a personal playthrough usable. The third is the ability to install or launch, which can depend on a client, license token, runtime package or account. The fourth is the network service, including multiplayer and leaderboards. A successful archive should document which layers were actually tested instead of treating a copied folder as proof that all four survive.
Compare the main backup approaches
| Platform or method | What you can capture | What still needs testing |
|---|---|---|
| Steam Backup and Restore | Steam-managed game files and selected DLC, with backup metadata | Restore through Steam, local saves, Offline Mode, redistributables and account prompts |
| GOG offline installers | Installer parts for the base game, DLC, language packs and bonus files | Every installer part, third-party DRM, runtime requirements and installation without the app |
| Nintendo 3DS or Wii U storage | Downloaded titles and DLC on compatible console storage while redownload remains available | Console/account relationship, card or drive format, system software and future redownload limits |
| PlayStation or Xbox console backup | Whatever the exact generation’s supported transfer or save-export tools provide | Model-specific DRM, account authentication, save compatibility and offline launch behavior |
This comparison is deliberately conservative. Steam and GOG publish distinct procedures, while console behavior differs by generation and region. Record the exact model and software version before following a guide, and never generalize an older console’s backup format to a newer one.
Back up Steam games
Use Steam Backup and Restore
- Open the Steam client while connected and let every owned game finish downloading, installing and patching.
- Open Steam’s Backup and Restore Games function, choose to create a backup, select each game and include its DLC.
- Choose a folder on an external drive and retain all backup metadata files alongside the data. Do not rename or reorganize the set until you have tested it.
- Repeat the process for other libraries or drives. The feature is intended for titles that completely download, install and patch through Steam; it does not replace a separate save-file backup.
Valve’s support guidance says, “Testing your backup will ensure that you will not need to re-download the game at a later time.” Restore one title to a different folder or computer before deleting the original. A successful file copy is not proof that the client can reconstruct the installation.
Keep each backup set self-contained. Preserve the metadata Steam creates, note which titles were selected and label the drive with the date and Steam account used. If a game has multiple libraries or removable drives, repeat the inventory so a title is not omitted simply because its files were installed outside the default library.
Copy saves and prepare Offline Mode
Locate each game’s local saves and configuration files and copy them outside the Steam backup set. Some games store saves in a user folder, while others use a game directory; cloud synchronization does not guarantee a downloadable historical archive. Keep notes about the save path for every title.
- With the computer online, open each game once and apply all pending updates.
- In Steam, enable Offline Mode and allow the client to restart if requested.
- Disconnect the network and launch the game. Confirm that it starts, loads a save and does not demand another installation or update.
- Reconnect, exit Offline Mode and record the tested build, operating system, required redistributables and any features that failed without a connection.
Offline Mode can play games without an active Steam Network connection, but Valve’s instructions require launching titles beforehand so unresolved updates or installation requirements are discovered while the service is available. Test more than the title screen: load a preserved save, check controller input and visit a representative offline mode. Note any menu that reports unavailable servers so a future user knows what the archive does not provide.
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Back up GOG purchases with offline installers
- Open your GOG library and select DOWNLOAD OFFLINE BACKUP GAME INSTALLERS.
- Download every setup part for the base game, then download each DLC installer, language pack and bonus item. Multi-part installers must remain together.
- Copy the complete installer folder to a second drive and preserve the original filenames and directory structure.
- Install the game into a test folder or on a spare computer without using the GOG app. Record the installer version, operating system and any runtime package the setup requests.
GOG’s support documentation states: “Alternatively, you can install your games without the app, using the offline installer.” That makes an offline installer easier to archive than a client-managed download, but it does not guarantee that a particular game has no third-party DRM or online-only features. Test the actual title rather than inferring behavior from the storefront.
Check that the downloaded parts have finished completely before copying them. A multi-part setup can appear to be present while one language or DLC segment is missing. Keep the base installer, updates, DLC and bonus files in clearly named folders, and preserve a text note with the installer version and the order in which updates were applied. A test installation on a spare folder or machine exposes missing parts without disturbing the working copy.
Nintendo 3DS and Wii U: download now, archive the storage
3DS and Wii U eShop
Nintendo ended purchases on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS eShop on March 27, 2023. You cannot buy content, download demos or free-to-start software, add funds or redeem download codes. Nintendo says owned games and DLC can still be redownloaded and software updates received “for the foreseeable future,” but that is not a permanent guarantee.
- Keep the console, Nintendo account link and compatible SD, microSD or USB storage together.
- On a 3DS, open eShop → Settings / Other → Redownloadable Software.
- Select Redownload, choose the title or DLC, then select Download or Download Later.
- After downloading, copy the supported storage contents where the console’s format and account relationship can be retained. Keep the original card or drive as one of the copies and a verified duplicate as the other.
Nintendo’s support statement is explicit: “Even after March 27, 2023, and for the foreseeable future, it will still be possible to redownload games and DLC and receive software updates on Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.” Do not format the console or storage on the assumption that a future system setup will preserve access automatically.
For a 3DS, preserve the card’s complete directory structure rather than copying only folders that look like game data. Keep the original card untouched while checking the duplicate, and document which account and console were used for the download. For Wii U, retain the console-specific USB storage and its pairing relationship; a generic copy may not be usable if the system expects encrypted or console-bound data.
Wii Shop Channel
The Wii Shop Channel stopped new purchases on January 30, 2019. Nintendo allowed purchased content to be redownloaded or transferred “for the time being” and warned that those functions would eventually end. Download and transfer purchases while they remain available, preserve the console-specific storage and document the Nintendo account or system used.
PlayStation and Xbox: preserve what the console supports
Backup formats and DRM rules vary by PlayStation and Xbox generation. There is no single, current first-party procedure that safely covers every model. Before following platform-specific advice, identify the exact console, system software and store region, then check the manufacturer’s current support instructions.
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- Download every owned title, update and DLC item from the console’s library while the account authenticates.
- Export saves using the console’s supported USB, cloud or transfer function, and keep a separate record of where each save resides.
- Retain account-recovery information, purchase receipts and the console that holds the entitlement.
- Test launching a downloaded title with the network disconnected only if the console’s documented procedure permits it. Do not promise yourself an offline-playable copy without that test.
Do not assume that a console’s general system backup includes independently restorable game licenses, DLC or saves. Check what the menu says is included, perform a small restore or transfer test, and record whether the destination must be the same console, account or storage device. If the platform offers only cloud saves, preserve any locally exportable copy as well and treat the cloud service as a dependency.
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| Storage choice | Best use | Important checks |
|---|---|---|
| External USB hard drive | Large, lower-cost archive of installers and game libraries | Use a second drive for redundancy; refresh aging hardware and verify copied files. |
| External SSD | Fast restores, frequent testing and portable libraries | Keep a second copy because speed does not provide redundancy; monitor free space and drive health. |
| SD or microSD card | Compatible Nintendo 3DS or other systems that require removable storage | Check the exact capacity, speed, format and console compatibility; duplicate the card’s contents. |
| Console-specific USB storage | Wii U and other systems that bind content to a particular drive or format | Preserve the original console/account relationship and do not reformat before confirming transfer options. |
Capacity depends on your library, patches and duplicate copies. Calculate the total size after downloading, then reserve additional space for a second copy and future updates. A drive is not an archive until a restoration has succeeded.
Choose capacity from the measured size of the completed downloads, not from the storefront’s advertised install size. Include duplicate language packs, patches, DLC and the space needed for a temporary restore. An external hard drive generally offers the lower-cost way to hold a large library, while an SSD favors fast restores and repeated testing; neither choice replaces a second copy. For console cards and drives, compatibility and account pairing matter more than raw capacity.
Keep one copy disconnected when it is not being updated or tested. Label both devices with their contents and date, but do not rely on a label alone: maintain the inventory on each drive and compare the two copies after changes. When a drive begins disconnecting, reports errors or makes unusual noises, migrate both copies rather than waiting for a complete failure.
How to verify and restore an archive
- Compare the source and destination. Use hashes or a file-comparison tool after copying. A matching file count alone may miss a damaged file.
- Preserve structure. Keep Steam metadata, GOG multi-part installers, Nintendo directory structures and console-specific folders in their expected locations.
- Restore to a separate location. Install one representative title to a different folder, computer or compatible console storage without overwriting the working copy.
- Exercise the save. Load a copied save, check settings and verify that required controllers or runtime packages are available.
- Record limits. Note every account prompt, update request, missing online mode or feature that failed offline.
Test a small title first, then one large or complicated title with DLC. This reveals whether the procedure handles multi-part installers, additional content and save paths before you risk the whole collection. Repeat a sample restoration after migrating to new media or changing the operating system.
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Preservation records that prevent future guesswork
Create a plain-text or spreadsheet record beside the archive. For each title, note:
- storefront account, platform, region, language and edition;
- base game, DLC list, bonus files and installation order;
- tested version or build date and operating system;
- save-file and configuration locations;
- controller, runtime, codec or redistributable dependencies;
- launcher and authentication behavior, including whether Offline Mode worked;
- online-only modes and services that were not preserved;
- date of the last hash comparison and restoration test.
Store account recovery codes securely and separately from the game files. If an archive requires a launcher, preserve the launcher version or document where it can still be obtained; never assume that an installer alone contains the entitlement. Add the archive-drive label, the date of the last successful copy and the location of the second device so another person can identify the correct media without guessing.
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Common failure modes and fixes
The backup restores files but the game will not start
Reconnect while the storefront still operates, launch the title once, complete updates and test Offline Mode. If a DRM or account prompt remains, record that dependency; copying more files cannot remove a server-side license check.
DLC is missing after restoration
Check the purchase inventory, region and edition. Recreate the backup with every DLC package and language pack selected, then install in the platform’s required order. Keep DLC installers or metadata beside the base game.
A save is absent
Look for local saves in the documented user or game folders and export them separately. Downloading the game again does not necessarily download an old cloud-save revision.
The console no longer recognizes the card or drive
Stop formatting it. Confirm the model’s supported capacity, file system and account or console pairing, then use the manufacturer’s transfer or redownload process. Keep the original media untouched while troubleshooting.
The only drive fails
Replace it from the second copy, compare hashes, perform a test installation and create a new second copy. Migrate archives before drives show repeated errors, disconnects or unusual noise.
The download window closes before everything is complete
Prioritize purchased games, DLC and patches over optional extras, then check each account’s redownload list for omissions. Retain receipts and screenshots of the inventory, but do not treat those records as substitutes for the actual files.
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Do not split a multi-part installer or Steam backup arbitrarily unless the platform explicitly supports it. Use a larger drive or organize separate complete sets, then make the second copy on media with enough capacity for the same files.
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A repeatable maintenance schedule
- After a major patch or new purchase, update the archive and its inventory.
- At least periodically, compare hashes or file counts between the two copies.
- Restore one randomly selected title and load a save to catch silent corruption.
- When a drive ages or its health warnings appear, migrate both copies to new media and repeat the restoration test.
- Update notes whenever an account, launcher, operating system or online service changes.
Maintenance matters because a backup made once can silently become incomplete after a patch, DLC purchase or drive migration. Keep the second copy offline during ordinary use, reconnect it only to synchronize deliberate changes, and record each test date. The goal is not merely to possess two drives, but to know that at least one complete, documented set can still be installed and used under the conditions you recorded.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I still download games after a digital store closes?
It depends on the platform’s announced policy. Nintendo says Wii U and Nintendo 3DS owners can redownload purchased games and DLC and receive updates for the foreseeable future, but purchases, codes, demos and adding funds ended on March 27, 2023. Other stores may restrict redownloads, so download and test owned content while authentication still works.
Will a Steam Backup and Restore copy work if Steam disappears?
Steam’s feature is designed to restore through Steam and preserves game files, not an independent ownership license. Launch each title while connected, prepare Offline Mode, disconnect the network and test a restored copy. Also copy saves separately and record any DRM, launcher or online-service dependency.
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Are GOG offline installers enough to play later?
GOG provides offline installer files that can be installed without the app. Download every setup part for the base game, DLC and language packs, keep them together and test-install them. A specific game may still contain third-party DRM, require runtimes or depend on online services, so verify the actual title.
What should I use for game backups: an external hard drive or SSD?
An external USB hard drive is generally the lower-cost choice for a large archive, while an SSD offers faster restores and convenient repeated testing. Neither provides redundancy by itself. Keep two copies on separate devices, verify their contents and replace aging media before failure.
Do cloud saves count as a backup?
Cloud saves are synchronization services, not automatically independent archival copies. Copy local save folders or use the platform’s supported export method, then record the save location and tested version. A newly downloaded game may not retrieve an older cloud-save revision.
Can I copy a 3DS SD card or Wii U drive to any replacement media?
Not necessarily. Nintendo systems can depend on a particular card format, capacity, directory structure, console and account relationship. Keep the original media untouched, duplicate its contents, and follow the exact model’s transfer or redownload procedure before formatting or replacing it.
What information should I write down with the archive?
Record the storefront account, platform, region, edition, language, base game, DLC, installer or build version, save path, operating system, runtimes, controller needs, launcher and authentication behavior, online-only features, hash-check date and restoration-test date. Keep account recovery details secure and separate from the game files.
Does a backup preserve multiplayer and online features?
No. An archive can preserve local files while matchmaking, leaderboards, seasonal content, cloud services or other servers disappear. Test offline play where the platform permits it and clearly record which network-dependent features were not preserved.
The Bottom Line
Download every owned game, DLC item, patch, installer and save while the storefront still authenticates you. Keep two verified copies on separate devices, test a restoration and document account, DRM, launcher and online-service requirements. That preparation preserves the most data possible without promising access that only a server or license system can provide.
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